Plans underway to replace three aging naval vessels

PLANNING is underway to replace three of the Naval Service's aging vessels it emerged yesterday following the announcement of a €19 million increase in the defence estimate.

Substantial amounts of money will have to be set aside in the next five years as the LÉ Emer, LÉ Aoife and LÉ Aisling are decommissioned at the end of their 30-year lives.

No money has been set aside for the replacements in next year's Estimate of the more than €750m for Defence, with €22.8m for the department and most of the rest going on the forces.

Fine Gael defence spokesman Billy Timmins said the 3% rise barely covers inflation and it reveals Defence Minister Willie O'Dea has little clout within the Cabinet.

"The €19m increase in expenditure hardly keeps up with inflation and that if we are to join the EU battle groups it will result in the sale of property to fund the necessary investment for training and equipment," Mr Timmins said.

Mr O'Dea believes substantial investment in equipment in recent years, including more than €200m on 65 armoured personnel carriers, six helicopters and eight fixed-wing aircraft, means the forces are already well equipped to participate in the battle groups.

He said he is "extremely pleased" with the Estimate, claiming an increase of €23m. He said the overall amount earmarked for defence is €957.5m, but that includes army pensions.

"The funding provided for 2006 means that major equipment purchases for the Defence Forces will proceed and that further progress will be made on the Defence Forces building and barracks modernisation programmes," he said.

Mr O'Dea said there has been an unprecedented level of investment in training and equipment in recent years which will continue.

Rank and file members, who earlier this year said the percentage of the total budget had halved in the last 10 years, believe the Government were making up on the historic shortfall in the build up of equipment.

PDFORRA said this was possible by the re-organisation of the forces to cut the percentage spent on pay and the sale of barracks.

The minister said he expects to sign a tender for another 15 armoured personnel carriers before the end of the year while the Defence Forces are also investing in 6,000 body armour suits and 12,000 helmets.

Mr O'Dea said 2006 will see the banks pay the costs of army cash escorts.

DEFENCE SPENDING

* Defence Forces Pay: €437m, up €15m, 3%.

* Defensive equipment (Army): €50m, up €5m, 11%.

* Air Corps: €38m, down €5m, 11%.

* Naval service: €13m, up just over €1.5m, 14%.